Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar ahead in numbers; 35 of 53 NCP MLAs attend his meeting, say sources

Ajit Pawar. File Pic

In a significant political development in Maharashtra, 35 out of 53 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs were present at the party meeting called by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday, according to party sources, reported the PTI.

Sources further told the news agency that the number is expected to increase. Additionally, five out of eight NCP MLCs are also attending the meeting in suburban Bandra. To avoid disqualification, the Ajit Pawar camp needs the support of at least 36 MLAs, as explained by former principal secretary of Maharashtra Legislature, Anant Kalse.

Meanwhile, supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar gathered outside his residence in south Mumbai, ahead of the show of strength meetings convened by both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. The meetings are taking place at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai and Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, respectively.

Sharad Pawar addresses supporters

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A party worker outside Sharad Pawar's residence held a banner stating, "83-year-old warrior waging a fight alone," the PTI reported.

Similarly, supporters of Ajit Pawar gathered outside his official residence in south Mumbai before he left for the meeting in Bandra. MLA Anil Patil claimed that around 40 of the 53 party MLAs are with Ajit Pawar, as per the PTI.

The NCP meetings mark the first gatherings of party functionaries for both factions since Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, and Hasan Mushrif, joined the Eknath Shinde government on Sunday. Both factions assert that they have the majority of MLAs on their side.

Meanwhile, Ahead of the meeting called by two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra, former state Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said that they would witness a significant number of supporters joining NCP chief Sharad Pawar when he travels outside Maharashtra, according to the ANI.

The two factions of the NCP have called separate meetings on Wednesday in an apparent display of strength.

Supporters of NCP chief Sharad Pawar have gathered outside the YB Chavan Centre ahead of the meeting called by the party chief.

NCP working president and MP Supriya Sule also arrived at the YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai, reported the ANI.

The NCP suffered a split on Sunday when Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government, along with eight other MLAs.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, has filed a disqualification petition against the nine MLAs with Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

(with PTI and ANI inputs)